The invention related generally to vinyl turntables with tone arms. More specifically, the present invention relates to an improved holder for tone arms.
Tone arms and holders therefor are very well known in the art. Tone arms are typically elongated members that include some type of needle or cartridge on the free end thereof to interface with a vinyl record to, in turn, transmit, sound to the electronic components of the turntable for further sound processing and output. Such tone arms and the function thereof are very well known in the art.
Tone arms can be of many different configurations and shapes, such as straight or curved. When the tone arm is in use, it is pivotally placed over the vinyl record to be played and then lowered into place on the vinyl record. When not in use, it is exceedingly common for a tone arm to be pivotable away from the rotating platter with vinyl thereon to some type of storage location, typically in the form of a tone arm holder with a clip. These known tone arm holders are fixed to the turntable surface and include a saddle to receive the body portion of the tone arm. This saddle has an open configuration so that the tone arm body portion can simply be rested on the saddle. The open saddle enables the tone arm to be quickly temporarily placed on and then removed quickly and easily therefrom for use to play a record.
However, there is a need to be able to secure the tone arm in place on the holder when it is not in use to protect the delicate tone arm assembly. For example, there is a particular need to secure the tone arm in place when the turntable is transported or when the turntable will not be used for an extended period of time.
To address the need to lock the tone arm in place, there have been many attempts in the prior art. As shown in FIGS. 1-4, one common prior art tone arm holder 10 uses a plastic saddle 12 to rest the tone arm 14 in when easy access to the tone arm 14 for use is required along with a pivoting plastic clip 16 to snap over and secure the tone arm 12 in place in the plastic saddle 12. A very well-known Technics SL1200 uses such a prior art tone arm holder 10 and pivoting clip 16.
In FIG. 1, a close-up perspective view of the prior art plastic tone arm holder 10 in a closed position is shown to include a saddle 12 that is fixed to a turntable 24 itself, typically, to a tone arm base 18 via a typically threaded mounting post 20. A saddle 12 with a single seat 12a is provided with an upstanding post 22 that pivotally receives a clip member 16 about a pivot pin 24. FIG. 2 shows the prior art tone arm holder 10 mounted on a turntable 24 when the tone arm 14 is in use during a performance. The clip portion 16 is pivoted open in preparation of receiving the tone arm 14. In FIG. 3, the tone arm 14 is resting on the single seat 12a of the saddle 12 of the tone arm holder 10 when the tone arm 14 is not in use. Referring now to FIG. 4, the clip portion 16 of the prior art tone arm holder 10 is pivoted counterclockwise, as shown by the arrow, so that the free end of the clip portion 16 rides over the tone arm 14, which may be tubular, so that it may snap into place. The flexibility of the clip portion 16 enables it to ride over the tone arm 14 so that locking can be achieved, as seen in FIG. 4.
Thus, the prior art provides a saddle 12 with a single location seat position that receives the tone arm 14. To better secure the tone arm 14, while in the same seat location, the clip 16 is pivoted over the tone arm 14 to thereby lock it in same location.
This prior art tone arm holder 10 with clip 16 suffers from many disadvantages. First, the plastic pivoting clip 16 is weak in construction and, therefore, has a tendency to break over time. Therefore, such clips 16 or even the entire prior art tone arm holder 10 need to be frequently replaced over the life of the turntable.
Also, these configurations of known tone arm holders 10, with pivoting clip 16, suffer from being inefficient to use, particularly by operators, such as disc jockeys (DJs), that frequently move the tone arm 14 between a play/performance position to a resting position and also travel frequently with the turntable. Thus, it is important to be able to quickly rest the tone arm 14 in place on a holder when not in use and then be able to quickly remove it from the holder for use. There is also a need for an operator of a turntable 24 to be able to quickly move the tone arm 14 to a locked resting position. There is also a need for an operator of a turntable 24 to be able to quickly move the tone arm 14 between a locked and unlocked condition on the holder. Therefore, when in use, the operator will want to use the saddle without the lock to have easy access to move the tone arm 14. When not in use, the tone arm 14 needs to be easily and quickly lockable to secure the tone arm 14 during transport or in a simple rest non-use or non-performance condition.